Combined counter-stiffener and arch-support.



P. BEEBB.

COMBINED GOUNTER STIFFENER AND ARCH SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 25, 1911.

Patented Feb.20,1912.

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COLUMBIA FLANDGRAPH CcLLWASmNQTm L u :4

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK BEEBE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FIFTH TO FRANK E. WILLIS, ONE-FIFTH TO CHARLES H. ATWOOD, ONE-FIFTH TO FREDERICK W. KRECI-I, AND ONEFIFTI H TO ALFRED BREWER, ALL OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED COUNTER-STIFFENER AND ARCH-SUPPORT.

Application filed. September 25, 1911.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, FRANK BEEBE, a c tizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of provide a construction which not only serves as a counter but also as an arch support for both sides of the foot; to provide a construction which while extremely economically manufactured can nevertheless be used with the finest grades of shoes; to provide a construction which as an arch support effectively sustains both sides of the foot and strengthens and supports the ligaments and tissues between the heel and ball of the footand also supports the cuneiform bones; to provide a construction which serves as an arch support without regard to the character of shoes to which it is applied and which effectively supports the arch whether the shoe be laced or buttoned tightly or loosely; and in general to provide an improved construction of the character referred to.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more particularly as a whole the shoe of the so-called Oxfordv type, 2 the heel, 3 the upper of the shoe and 1 the inner lining. The shoe is of course,

provided with an outer sole 5 and an inner sole 6.

Within the shoe is secured my combined counter stiffener and arch support designated as awhole 7. It is situated between the upper of the shoe and the inner. lining Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

Serial No. 651,057.

and extends from the first metatarsal bone of the large toe joint back around the heel and up to the fifth metatarsal bone at the little toe joint. This counter stiffener and arch support is at its rear end of sufiicient height to form the usual counter stiffener for the shoe and extends forwardly to points in front of the cuboid bone on the outer side of the tarsus of the foot and scaphoid bone on the inner side. At its front end the sides of the counter stiffener and arch support taper gradually downwardly. The lower edge of the counter stiffener and arch support are turned slightly inwardly and are sewed between the outer and inner soles of the shoe.

It is to be particularly noted that the sides of the counter stiffener and arch support are of sufl'icient height to extend above the cuboid and scaphoid bones. The sides of this arch support are so arranged as to grip and support the ligaments and bones in the arch of the foot, at the same time without gripping the foot too tightly. In practice it has been found that the present invention so compacts the ligaments, tissues and bones of the arch of the foot as to strengthen what is the weakest part of the foot and permit it to sustain the weight of the body without tiring the foot or inconveniencing the wearer.

The present invention keeps the weight of the body back of the toe joints or ball of the foot and at the same time allows perfect freedom of movement of the joints in the forepart of the foot. I am aware that numerous devices have been patented and used for heel stifi'eners and so-called arch supports, but none of them obtain the results of the present invention. It -is to be noted that the sides of my combined counter stiffener and arch support extend along both sides of the arch of the foot and up to the toe joints as heretofore specified and not only along one side of the arch of the foot as in some of the prior art constructions. None of the prior art devices act to brace and support both sides of the arch as 'does the present construction. This construction gives the arch an additional sup ort and does not allow the shoe to turn fif'om side to side, placing the foot in a perfectly natural position.

My combined counter stiffener and arch support is preferably made from sole leather and skived down at its edges, being thicker through its central portion. It may be stated here if the device is found to be too stiff at the cuboid it may be softened to conform to the particular bone to prevent too great a pressure on this bone.

The invention is not limited to the details of construction shown, except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a shoe, of a comtapering from thence gradually downwardly to said toe oints, said arch-support bracing and supporting the arch structure of the foot equally and yieldably on both sides of the arch structure including said cuboid and scaphoid bones.

2. The combination with a shoe, of a com bined counter-stiffener and arch-support therefor formed of leather, secured within the shoe, and extending from the large toe joint rearwardly around the heeland for wardly to the little toe joint, the sides of said counter-stiffener and arch-support being of a width to extend above the cuboid and scaphoid bones and sloping downwardly toward the toe joint, the rear of said counter-stiifener and arch-support serving as a counter-stiffener 'and the sides thereof bracing and supporting the arch structure of the foot equally and yieldingly on both sides of the arch structure.

F RANK BEEBE. Witnesses:

J. 1W. LUTZ,

F. L. BELKRAP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

